It is known to provide a canopy or rollout awning for a recreational vehicle such as a caravan. The awning may be supported at its outer edges by arms that are pivotally mounted to the side of the recreational vehicle and which can be pivoted out to support the outer edges of the awning.
When the recreational vehicle is parked the awning can be extended laterally from a side of the recreational vehicle to provide shade and an undercover outside area adjacent the recreational vehicle. Whilst the recreational vehicle is travelling the awning is retracted and the arms are brought against the side of the recreational vehicle.
A problem that arises with canopy support arms is that they are presently not well suited for use with camper trailers. Camper trailers, or as they are sometimes called, expandable caravans have a lower rigid base and wall section and an upper, flexible wall and roof section. During towing of a camper trailer the upper section is collapsed down upon the lower base section. In the collapsed configuration towing of the camper trailer is straightforward due to its low profile. Once the camper trailer is parked the top section is erected so that there is sufficient headroom within the camper trailer for occupants.
To date it has not been convenient to affix a rollout awning to a side of a camper trailer because arms have not been known which are suitable for locating vertically to the side of the camper trailer in the collapsed configuration and which are able to support an outer edge of the awning once the camper trailer is in the erected configuration.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an arm that is suitable for supporting the rollout awning of a camper trailer.